#Also dnd is really fun!! I highly recommend it

[butt3rnugg3t]

This is super fun thank you so much for tagging me!! Also, good luck with the doctor's appointment babes!!

last song: Would you fall in love with me again? By Jorge Rivera-Herrans from the Epic: The Musical soundtrack 😭😭😭😭

favourite colour: Like a deep celestial blue...idk if that makes sense

last book: The Enchanted Greenhouse. The second book to The Spellshop! I got to read the arc and it was amazing! Highly recommend. It doesn't come out till this summer though 😭

last audiobook: 😅 .... I don't listen to them. I try I really do but i'm very picky when it comes to the voice reading it.

last movie: watched Set It Up last night, I was sad and I love that movie

last tv show: Currently re-watching Crown of Candy from Dropout again

sweet/spicy/savoury: I'm a firm believer you can't have one without the other. While typing this I'm eating hot fries and chocolate 😅

relationship: ENGAGED!!! I have been since October but I never get to talk about my wonderful partner on here enough!

last thing i googled: *SIGH* The Alice in Wonderland Carousel book from 2017 for a customer.....it's out of print cause (I'm assuming) was a special edition print. The customer insisted our website said we had it in stock........we absolutely do not. It's like $1800 on Amazon

current obsession: My DnD characters, were running two vastly different games rn and I love my characters so much. I kinda wanna write an original piece for both of them but idk how it'll be perceived on here lol

looking forward to: Finishing cleaning my apartment cause I've been rearranging things and I'm so fucking tired

npt: @ellecdc @solsticesage @nikko03 @animeslayer2275 and anyone else who wants to join!!

Thanks for the tag @marlowe-zara ! It’s long past due for a tag game update over here.

Last song: Steal the Show by Lauv (honorable mention for the kid getting into real music), Rushmore by Mumford and Sons

Favorite Color: always purple

Last Book: Little Thieves by Margaret Owen, it was a cute modern take on a fairy tale for YA audiences. I enjoyed the in-universe mythology and magic. Currently reading Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

Last Audiobook: I like this addition as I often listen to books on roadtrips or when printmaking. My latest was The Hobbit read by Andy Serkis: he did such an excellent job on the voices like you would expect. (His Gandalf really made me double check if Ian McClellan had done a guest appearance!)

Last Movie: LotR The Two Towers EE (who even watches the theatrical cuts??) Can you see a theme here? It’s winter, so I’m getting cozy with my comfort fandom. And yes, I started with Fellowship.

Last TV Show: Finally finishing The Good Place

Sweet/Savory/Spicy: I’ve never turned good food down. But am lately very fond of making sourdough discard chocolate chip cookies that have butterfinger baking bits in them. Happy to share the recipe if folks ask.

Relationship: um…still in one?

Last Thing I’ve Googled: I’m over here googling birthday ideas for the kiddo and researching new bathroom cabinets. 😳

Current Obsession: The Fall with Lee Pace and Catinca Untaru. I was finally able to stream this on Mubi in the US and if you’ve never seen it, please pause your doom scrolling and go watch it right now. I sobbed on an airplane. And then immediately watched it again later in the week. And then immediately added all of the set locations to my travel list. I miss Lee Pace: he needs more roles because he’s such an incredible actor.

Looking forward to: using my new bread cloche the next time I make a sourdough loaf, finishing Link’s Awakening finally and reading Democracy in Retrograde to brace myself for the next 4 years.

I’ll tag @windsweptinred @bobbole @elemen @writing-for-life and whoever else wants to share what they’ve been up to lately!

[pajarraco-is-silly]

My character (Alba) from a dnd campaign I'm doing,,,

Original under the cut :,)

[wehavekookies]

Dear Kooks, do you have some tips to play D&D alone or some solo RPG? I want to play it so bad, I have a lot of characters sheets ready because I’m so excited, but none of my friends are interested. If you know and could tell me is there some online platform to discover groups to play?

Thanks always!

Hello!

(First of all I need to start posting a bit more about solo rpgs and solo gaming in general cos I gathered some really cool materials and games over last months, so thank You for reminding me of that. Just need some more free time but it's coming, oh it's coming)

I don't have experience playing specifically DnD solo, but I know there are tools for it people recommend. The GeekGamers YouTube channel has TONS (and i say it both as an encouragement and as a warning, because it can be a bit overwhelming) of advice materials, also regarding soloing DnD and solo roleplaying in general. She also wrote a book on solo gaming called Solo Game Master's Guide which if I recall correctly has a chapter on DnD specifically as well. I know people are recommending Mythic Game Master Emulator as a good tool, but I haven't personally tried it yet.

What I can recommend tho is... Ironsworn (check the link, the pdf for the first main game is free). I have been playing it solo recently and I find it very fun and satisfying. It's a system based on Powered by the Apocalypse rules framework, so not that close to DnD rules, but if you are looking for a solo rp with some more rules structure I recommend taking a look at this game because it is designed specifically for solo playing (but it can be co-oped and GMed too). You can alter the world of the game freely (and the author encourages you to do that) or use the rules in existing setting, so you can adjust it to your liking (tho i do encourage you to try the setting offered by the book first, together with its world creation process: 1) it's very cool, 2) you will get a grip of the rules in their natural environment)

I found I need a couple of additional oracle tables aside of the ones the book has, but these you can pick up as you go according to your needs, there is plenty online, and a lot of free ones too. Other than that everything you need you have in the free book.

I also recommend taking a look at some actual play of an Ironsworn game (or other games, you can find some examples of actual solo plays on GeekGamers channel too) to get a bit of an idea how people think about running a solo session and how they build a story on their own, and perhaps taking something away from it for yourself. For Ironsworn specifically I super enjoy and highly recommend The Bad Spot podcast. It has several seasons of Ironsworn: Starforge game (Ironsworn's younger brother set in space, but the rules and the idea of how the game runs are basically the same) but also some loose talks about solo gaming in general.

OTHER THAN THAT: I encourage you to look around and see what the solo gaming scene has to offer. There is so many interesting games (some with more rules structure, but also journaling games, choose your own adventure-like games, solo hacks for existing systems, and more etc etc, a whole new world to discover really), it's worth checking regardless of having a group to play with or not. I will try to get back to posting more actively on these topics, cos there is a lot of stuff I would love to share, so fingers crossed I won't get distracted lol.

Cheers!

[eldritchmochi]

Hey Mochi! I'm writing my first smut fic (my dnd party has a romance going on and its consumed my thoughts so drastic actions are being taken). Do you have any tips or tricks? You're writing in coping skills specifically is just so so good in sex scenes and I'm curious if theres anything you've noted helps when writing that sort of thing

MANY TIPS except maybe not actually ive been doing this for so long that a lot of it is second nature and also a LOT of it is just... normal ass writing advice lol

but for ur consideration:

🔥 HOT TIP #1: dont be afraid to use ur characters names. similarly dont be afraid to use the same word for other nouns, like body parts, tools, etc. it is a lot easier to keep things clear and flowing when you, as the writer, arent trying to use a synonym for everything, so that your readers don't have to do math lady meme faces trying to figure out what limb is whose

🔥 HOT TIP #2: this is hard for a lot of people i know that i am a weirdo who basically transcribes video when writing, but the better you can visualize whats going on in ur scene, the more effective your description of movement and interaction will be, ESPECIALLY with stuff in close contact like smut (or fight scenes, or dancing, and so on).

🔥 HOT TIP #2a: if you are in a situation where you can comfortably just.... watch porn, i highly recommend this, not only to help visualize how bodies act and move during sex, but to broaden ur scope of sex acts. i spend an absolutely wild amount of time watching teaser clips of all sorts from indie models on twitter and my ph algo is absolutely *fucked* lmao. same as visual artists should use reference as needed for their art, so should writers, and ur not gonna be able to write *everything* from personal experience

u can also absolutely use other smutty mediums for reference, like comics or illustrations, photographs, or yeah writing, but if you are not a particularly visual thinker, having some sort of specifically visual reference to base stuff off can be very helpful, from what some of my writing bros have shared

🔥 HOT TIP #3: vocab is really *really* important in smut. i have Opinions on words for junk and jizz and all that, but when it comes to writing, the words you use *gotta* match your characters voice. its super subjective, especially in fanfic, and can definitely be fluid depending on the situation, but it has to be consistent with your characterization across the board, with strong internal logic

equally important are the words you *don't* use--if your pov character is stuck up and nervous and a little prudish like the way i tend to write essek, using euphemisms or otherwise talking around the gross specifics can really emphasize that characterization and lead to really vulgar turns of phrase hitting super hard (ie esseks internal monologue going "caleb could spit in esseks mouth and essek would thank him for it" or whatever it was is incredibly striking because so much of esseks desire is not explicitly voiced)

you can legitimately use any kind of dick+ vocab and make it land when its paired with the right character and situation, though the weirder you go the harder it is to make it work

🔥 HOT TIP #4: write what you find hot. if u write shit u specifically are horny for, it will shine thru and people will go nuts for it. follow ur weird lil heart, have fun with it, yes-and with ur dick in hand and ur smut will be fabulous

[highabovethecloudssomewhere]

Bi-Yearly Book Catalogue (2024)

Every book I’ve read the past six months and what I thought, told as briefly as I can manage.

One Star Books:

Loveless by Alice Oseman

I understand that this book was helpful for a lot of people. It was the opposite of helpful for me.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

My gripes with this can be whittled down into: this writer does not understand depression but really, really wants to cure it. Also, if you do decide to give this book a try, please mind the subject material. It really, really isn’t for everyone.

Two Star Books:

N/A

Three Star Books:

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

A simple book about an old man learning to want to live again. Where ‘The Midnight Library’ failed for me, this one succeeded. If you plan to read this one, be mindful of the content warnings. It also isn’t for everyone.

Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowely

It’s about a dog who has cancer. I think that says it all. There were parts of this book I really liked and parts I really didn’t like. It lost me halfway through and I stopped caring about the stakes, which is really upsetting when the stakes are a dog. But the good parts are really, really good. Just be mindful of the premise going into it.

In the Lives of Puppets by TJ Klune

I liked the character work, loved the world building and on a technical level the writing was well-done. My gripes have to do with the story’s internal contradictions and how the only character traits I can think of for the main character are “asexual” and “inventor,” neither of which are explored properly (emphasis on asexual here). I didn’t like that despite being 21, the main character was narratively treated like a child, often involving his sexuality. I had to google how old he was multiple times because I couldn’t believe he wasn’t in his mid-teens given how he reacted to the story and how the story treated him. Loved the writing on a technical level, though, and I do plan to read more from this author.

Four Star Books:

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

A COFFEE shop AU? In MY high fantasy? If you like DnD, low-stakes high-fantasy and fun character work, give this one a read. It’s very cozy.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers

It’s a book about a nonbinary tea monk and a robot who lives in the mountains. Slow-paced with good vibes and great world building. I read it in an evening and came away from it feeling warm.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Achilles and Patroclus’ relationship breaks my heart again. This was incredibly well-written and appropriately devastating. I just wanted them to be happy.

Countdown to Countdown by Kong Xiao Tong (graphic novel)

I bought a physical copy of this because I’ve always loved the artist’s work and wanted to support, and I enjoyed it a LOT. Beautiful art, fantastic characters. I know not everyone can avoid a physical copy, but the webcomic is available to read for free online and I highly recommend giving it a try.

Our Dining Table by Ori Mita (manga)

Learning to enjoy mealtime with loved ones again after childhood trauma? Y’all. It’s a single-volume manga and it’s well worth your time.

Five Star Books:

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

This was the most devastating book I’ve ever read. If you are interested in reading it: find a list of content warnings first. I went in blind. It is hauntingly real and the author handled the material so, so well. I can’t recommend this book without that caveat. But it’s one of the best-written books I’ve read.

The Saturday Night Ghost Club by Craig Davidson

This book is about a man looking back on his life as a boy - the friends he made and the misadventurous ghost-hunts his uncle dragged them into. It’s just the right amount of campy with fun characters and a brilliant use of prose. If you’re a less experienced reader and want a book that is easily digestible while also being extraordinarily well-written, I’d recommend this book in a heartbeat, and it’s every bit as entertaining for more advanced readers.

What you are looking for is in the library by Aoyama Michiko

Five stories about five people, all in different stages of life, and their unique experiences with the same librarian and the same library. Individually, each character in each story has their unsatisfying lives changed in an unexpectedly simple way, thanks to the library. There’s nothing wild about this book, but it is wildly impactful. The library is for everyone!

Tress of the Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson

Heroine travels the treacherous seas to save the man she loves. It’s a book about perspectives and joy and making unlikely friends, breaking curses through clever means and never, ever giving up. It has all the whimsy of a classic fairytale, yet not once could I predict how it was going to end. It’s fast-paced and hard to put down. The world is intriguing and the characters are wonderful.

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

This book is utterly mind-bending and I loved it. Two time-travelers chase each other through reality on opposing sides of the Time War and gradually fall in love. It’s great. The biggest complaint I see leveled at this book comes from less experienced readers who struggle to follow the narrative - and I do agree, if you’re just getting into reading for fun this might be a book to save for later. But don’t let me stop you. I loved this book.

Conclusion:

Reading is great. Libraries are your friend. I always love book recommendations and I’m on GoodReads as BeyondTheClouds777, predictably. If any of y’all take a stab at these books (or have taken stabs in the past), I’d love to hear your thoughts! I’m back in my bookworm era and thriving.

[e-vay]

Hey first off love ur art second I love ur werehog art and thought u would enjoy the fanfic wars of the heart by@midnightfire1222 their writing is amazing and thought you should read it

@phrog-graphy Thank you so much! I’m so glad you like my werehog art. I find werehogs challenging but one of the most fun things to draw.

It’s so funny you both mention it, I just started reading it yesterday and I am SO HOOKED! I’ve been charmed, entranced!

@blsantos As far as being hesitant to read long fics, I totally get that. Sometimes when I see a large number of chapters it can overwhelm me at first too. However, at least for me, the story is one of those that I haven’t been able to put down since I started! Like I just said, I started it only yesterday and I am now at chapter 38 lol. Also, some of the chapters are really short, so don’t let the number scare you. Besides, I think with most stories once you’ve found something you like, you’re always wanting more anyway!

For those of you who haven’t heard of Wars of the Heart by @midnightfire1222 , it’s a werehog Sonamy story taking place in an alternate universe. If you like DND or fantasy novels, this one is right up your alley. It’s also so hot! 🥵 Just a warning to my younger followers or those with aversion to violence/spice, it’s intended for an older audience. But if that doesn’t bother you, I HIGHLY recommend it!

As always, thank y’all for the fanfic recommendations! I’m always hungry for more sonamy fics so please don’t ever feel too shy to send them my way 😋💖💙

[three--rings]

I finished reading Dungeon Meshi (aka Delicious in Dungeon, but it seems people kinda hate that translation).

Highly recommended. Like, I didn't know what to expect going in. I'd gotten the impression that the manga was kinda dark and disturbed, actually, from things I'd heard.

So I wasn't prepared for the wholesome, light-hearted tone of most of it. Found family dnd party gets into trouble and eats weird ass meals.

It seems like a lot of people focus on "oh it's not all fun and games, it's like HEAVY and shit" but it's very much both. It's very funny and very wholesome and also lots of (light) body horror and About Horrifying Things.

It never gets bogged down in it. I was kinda waiting for when Shit Got Real and the tone took a turn, but that never actually happens. It remains funny and absurd and warm even in the midst of horrors. At least half the characters don't realize they're actually experiencing anything horrible. And the others are mostly annoyed by the horrors more than horrified. For them it's just an annoying work day.

I do absolutely LOVE the world-building here and have started thinking very impractical thoughts about trying to set a dnd campaign in this world. (Even though I Don't DM!) But imagine doing a campaign set in this world where the players don't know Dungeon Meshi and therefore get to be blindsided by How Dungeons Work and Why. (My favorite part of the whole thing.)

I'm really looking forward to watching the anime now I've finished the manga. The bits I've seen look so perfect!

I may come back and do a full rec post for it after that. If I remember.

[toughtink]

anime/manga i really enjoyed in 2024:

i wanted to do some kind of end of year recap because i really got back into watching anime and reading manga this year and last!! here's some of what i loved~

~dungeon meshi~

action, adventure, cooking show, and necromancy! i honestly thought the premise of “classic dnd style adventure party kills monsters and cooks them into iron chef-worthy dishes” sounded boring and that it’d get old fast, but it was actually a fun way to do world building!! and they change things up just as the episodic nature of the monster food starts to feel too repetitive, unlocking waay more depth than i ever expected for this story! find your inner senshi to treat yourself to something delicious and nutritious, your inner chilchuck to know your own value at work, and your inner marcille to remember that “forbidden” is really just a strong word for “super cool” when applied to magic.

the manga is complete (english box set available + there’s an extra companion book about the world you can get!), and the current anime has season 1 out in full which gets about halfway through the story. it’s become well known in fandom spaces for having a main character who is often read as autistic and has a relationship between two women central to the storyline. though it’s not explicitly made romantic, it’s easy to read it that way. it should be noted that this is not a romantic series, but the (platonic) relationship building is superb. warning that this show can be violent at times and they don’t shy away from bones and flesh, but it's not so much a gratuitous gore fest as mostly just informative, tbh.

~apothecary diaries~

half historical drama, half episodic mystery show—and then there’s the slow burn romance…like really slow burn…like i binged the anime and then the manga and now i’m wondering if i gotta get my hands on the light novel. maomao is a fantastic lead character, and i honestly can’t get enough of her dry wit.

the light novel series, manga, and anime are all ongoing. the storytelling is often goofy but also has many more somber moments as it does deal with serious themes such as sexual exploitation, child loss, and extreme power imbalances due to the hierarchy of the palace. for example, the main character grew up in a brothel and is kidnapped and sold into servitude right at the beginning of the story; the plot revolves around her job in the inner palace where all of the emperor’s concubines live and try to give him heirs. it’s based on imperial china, but technically its own world.

~skip & loafer~

i haven’t fallen so hard for a slice of life since…ever? the plot is kind of meandering, but we're here for the sweet and slow growth of friendships and romance in adolescence! the first season of this anime technically aired entirely in 2023, but i've been keeping up with the manga and loving every second.

the main character is a small town girl moving to tokyo for high school with big dreams to return and save her dying town. she lives with her glamorous aunt nao (who we later learn is trans and has some of THE best writing i've ever seen in manga for a trans character) and slowly builds a group of great friends, including the school's "popular" boy. it's about first impressions and assumptions and the awkwardness of growing up. the creator has an ethos that treats every character as fully rounded, no one is just a side character. it's hard to pin down what exactly i love about this series so much, but it's sweet and earnest and made me feel both nostalgic and also more compassionate to who i was as a teenager--as well as all the other teens around me just trying their best to get through it all. it's just lovely and calming, and i highly recommend getting your hands on the manga while we wait for the second season of the anime!

~dandadan~

this anime landed on the radar of my husband and me around the same time but separately—he thought it was a supernatural horror series, and i thought it must be a romantic comedy based purely on fanart. turns out, we were both right! it's chock full of references to classic horror and sci fi with a teen romance b-plot and an outrageous sense of humor. no really, i've seen way more outrage about this one than i ever expected. i'd compare it's energy and level of ridiculousness to kill la kill, maybe less kinky but definitely still raunchy!

the plot revolves around two teens who have run afoul of both their local ghosts/yokai and space aliens who want to use/collect human reproductive organs. i've seen multiple people shocked by the creepiness of the aliens strapping down and stripping the main female character in the first episode, so here's your warning! the MCs unlock their own supernatural powers to fight back the baddies, but our male main character realizes he needs to get back his own genitalia which becomes the main plot. like i said: raunchy! outrageous! maybe not for everyone! the creator is pretty clearly just throwing whatever sounds fun as the next monster of the week for the crew to face up against rather than agonizing over drama or anything, which is sort of refreshing to see. this series certainly gets creepy at times but never grotesque, at least not to me (i feel like i have a relatively low tolerance for grossness?). it's honestly been shockingly fun and goofy, and the friendship and blossoming romance between momo and okarun is very, very sweet. that said, it may not be for you if yokai stealing balls isn't a premise you can get on board with.

[daffodilsonaprettystring]

So I read this fic a few days ago “Descendants of Cyrano” by @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels https://archiveofourown.org/works/56937931?view_adult=true

Aaaaaaand I just couldn’t let the drawing rest once it popped into my head. Eddie and Buck as their DND characters Imbolc and Atton from the fic! Highly recommend reading it if u haven’t yet it’s an extremely fun time lmao

Also I find it really funny that this is the first Buddie fanart ive ever drawn and it’s their fucking DND characters lolllll

(Also my sister (who is a Buddie/911 fan btw) Called them Legolas and Flynn Rider lmaoooo now I can’t unsee it)

[vigilskeep]

Which builds are u using for urself and the companions on wotr :0 ive been meaning to try out the game and ur posting gave me motivations

crpgbro on youtube has an insane number of build videos and while i have watched more than i’ve actually tried out, i’m immediately having so much fun with my druid that i won’t hesitate to recommend them. and just the sheer number gives you a lot of cool ideas to start from, including a couple variants for most companions

my only caveats would be that each build for the main character is designed for a particular mythic path, which if you’re not familiar, is a route your character takes throughout the game gaining the abilities of a mythic creature like an angel, demon, lich, trickster, etc. it’s a big part of the storytelling as well as the gameplay, so it doesn’t necessarily leave you the most rp versatility especially if you’re new to the game and don’t know what direction you’re going to want to head. the builds are also a little min-maxy so there’s an overall preference among the builds for, i don’t know, humans with the pickpocket background, and a lot of strength-based damage dealers no matter the class, and having access to an animal companion, etc. etc. just because certain things happen to do well in the game. which can feel restrictive, for character building

however he’s building for the stupidly high difficulties so if you’re a regular person playing normal or lower difficulty like me, tweaking it for what you want to play seems absolutely fine. i didn’t play a human for my druid so i totally lost out on a bonus feat that would’ve been really helpful for the first couple of levels and you know what? it was literally fine. and as far as i can tell the mythic paths will have a little something for everyone, even if the synergy isn’t perfect to get the Best Build Ever if you go off the road

but he’s not the only one, there are plenty of builds and build advice givers online if you just start looking. not as vast resources as for something a little less niche, but plenty. it helps the wild variety in the character creator feel a little less overwhelming!

if you don’t want to stick tightly to a build, the most important thing i’ve learned about pathfinder compared to the dnd system in bg3 is that in bg3, feats are a fun little occasional flavouring, whereas in pathfinder you get way more feats but the correct feats are fundamentally necessary to being a good caster or archer or dual wielder or whatever. so the important thing is figuring out the feats that are necessary for your play style. which is easy enough to figure out if you look at a few builds. and honestly i kind of like that because it feels... more real? like for example your archers need a bunch of highly specific skills to be functional in a fight, like a feat that stops them from having a penalty picking out a target who’s in the middle of a melee scrum, and nobody without those skills could just pick up a bow and do what they do. it feels more earned, somehow? but that’s just me putting more storytelling weight on it than there is as always haha

[youreonlylow]

I haven’t watched any critical role/dimension 20 stuff (I watched one ep of Vox Machina and do plan on watching more but haven’t gotten around to it yet) but fantasy high sounds fun. Do you think it’s a good entry point into their stuff or should I start with something else

Hey!

I do think fantasy high is a good starting point. Its high fantasy in the sense that its classic dnd but its set in a very “normal” setting i think they describe it as like an 80s high school but they have phones and stuff so its modern i think its more about like the stereotypical high school vibes where the 80s thing came from. i believe a lot of fantasy high is also available for free on youtube if you dont have a dropout subscription that also makes it a good starting point.

its currently on the 3rd season and was the first d20 show made but d20 is an anthology so most of their shows have like just the one campaign ranging from 4-20 episodes.

if you like the more classic political high fantasy stuff i think people generally recommend a crown of candy but i cant say much about it even though i watched bc i did so very casually and it is good but political/court stuff is just not my preference. it also has a 6 episode prequel show the ravening war which i enjoyed more than acoc.

i also highly recommend starstruck odyssey which is like a space setting and is just incredibly funny.

for something not d20 i just watched exandria: calamity which is actually dm’ed by brennan and is a prequel series as well but you dont need to know anything going in - i didnt. it was really great and a lot of people incl brennan say its some of the best dnd theyve played/watched

i also really enjoyed magic and misfits which is a d20 show and only 4 episodes ive seen that twice i think

tldr; yes fantasy high is a good starting point

[i-may-be-an-emu]

Hello, fandom sage!

I have just purchased a month of the patreon and am looking for recommendations on what to watch in that time. I already have some ideas, but I was wondering if you had any specific suggestions?

Thus far, my list includes:

D&D one-shot

Livestreams #34 and #100 because I've seen them recommended before

They had a livestream for a show they did on my birthday, so I want to see that one

Various longforms, namely The Suspicious Creme Brulee, My First Bra, and the pride flag one from recently? (don't know anything else about that last one but I've seen stills of Tom holding pride flags)

Thank you :D

First of all thank you for the title of fandom sage that made me smile :)))

WELCOME TO PATREON

Those are all great things to watch!!! dnd also has a part two!! It’s not on the playlist but if you scroll down you should find it :) #34 and #100 are my favourite streams so far, great choices!! #57 is also quite good, you get the origin of Tiny Giraffe Park and Luke in an ice bath lol

My first bra and suspicious creme brulee are both excellent!! I highly recommend all of the patreon exclusive long forms and Snakehips is also amazing, longform from a bill Murray stream (July 24 2023)

you should definitely watch the podcast qna thing from last night!!!

the photos of Tom holding the pride flags are actually pictures taken by people who were at that show, the full long form might be uploaded to youtube as a public play but hasn’t been confirmed (though people are quite confident that the boys will upload it)

I also suggest the live from home livestreams from 2023 and some from early this year, those are also really fun. The bts and qna videos are also AWESOME!

I’m so happy for you that you got patreon for a month, it’s fun :)

[ghostkingdoesstuff]

@darkcrowprincess I remembered other monster girls actually but the media gets really niche so be warned.

1: like half the bitches from Homestuck. That being said it's Homestuck so RUN RUN DON'T DO IT YOU WILL NEVER GET THE GREY BODY PAINT STAINS OUT OF ANYTHING DON'T DO IT!!!

2: Adventure Time has quite a few non human very flawed women. Also a bunch of other shit. Also lesbians 👌🏼🔥

3: Steven Universe (if you consider gem aliens monsters? I'm trans and willing to cosplay Pearl cuz I consider all the gems on the NB spectrum soooo) Lotta bad and great women shaped people in that show. Would recommend (plus the music is very fun) also lesbians

4: Beastars (if you consider furries monsters? I cosplayed Haru one time, so I do personally.) Not very women lead but the Manga has some more fem centric story lines, and the show it's has a lot to say about what we consider "monsterus" (lesbian coded in the manga)

5. Like any DND podcast. My favorites come from Dimension 20. Fantasy High got me into DND, and I would highly recommend it! Fig Faeth lives in my head rent-free. (There are indeed lesbians)

6. Vivziverse DONT DO IT DON'T DO IT THE BODY PAINT AHHHHHHH (But the soundtracks bomb. Charlie Morningstar lives in my head rent-free) (I'm sensing a theme in my monster girl related media...)

7. My Baby Sitter's a Vampire (I warned you it got niche). This fandom is really fun, but the story will disappoint you because it ends on a cliffhanger and they will probably never finish it 🙃 but it's a lot of fun. Not lesbians but I headcannon it... not them... well...

8. Athena from Croakerverse? (If being the vessel for the soul of Gerard Way is considered "monsterus, "... I wouldn't cosplay her (I would cosplay Sage, though)) This entry is literally a series of Tumbler blogs. Would recommend Strange Eons video recap on it, buck wild, still ongoing.

9. Poppy's discography (if being... whatever Poppy is is monstrous... yeah I'd cosplay her... not well) She's just very good. (Also Sapphic vibes. Her cover of All the things She said ;-;)

10. Monika from Doki Doki Litterature Club (if being a sentient AI is monstrous... the way she does it probably... I would slay that costume) MAJOR TRIGGER WARNING on that one but genuinely such a good game, . (I refuse to belive this game isn't sapphic)

All the other monsturus women I remember are probably from Anime, so quickly:

KRULE TEPIST MY GOAT from Owari No Seraph (OMG THIS FUCKING SHOW *Screams incoherently in never getting season 3*)

Monster Musume (This show is... highly questionable, but I remember enjoying it way back when. Lotta monster girls... highly questionable)

C2 From Code Gayass Geass. She's a witch? Vibes but I recommend the show because the show is great.

Black Butler has a couple monster ladies but Grell Sutcliffe is my Grim Reaper trans fem wife and I will hear no slander of her name.

My Hero Academia also has girls with monster stuff going on but it's less monsters and more mutations— omg me forgetting X-Men exists (haven't seen more then the first 2 Deadpools but my brother highly recommends)

Attack on Titan (haven't finished it) and I can't tell you who the monster girl is cuz spoilers but you will probably cry so have tissues handy.

Aggretsuko if being a furry is indeed a monsturus. This one's really cute and women lead. This red panda is SO DONE with working 9-5, and she screams about it. Peak fiction, much a mood👌🏼

If you're screaming a very popular show at me rn, please scream louder. I need recs.

If more monsturus Ladies hit me I'll let you know but for now this is all I've got *-* I've failed the name 100 women challenge and for that, I'll go find more women... I do have monster boys as well, but save it for another day. ... oh, Homestuck also has Lesbians in case anyone was wondering.

[open-to-the-sky]

Cool people I follow: A guide for my friend

The Great Storytellers: (stories from their lives)

@gallusrostromegalus I feel like this person has lived their own version of the Odyssey. They have LORE, their parents have LORE, their DOGS HAVE LORE.

@thebibliosphere a romance novelist who lives in a cursed body in a cursed home.

@biggest-gaudiest-patronuses how am I supposed to describe this blob of pink slop? Amazing cursed writings and stories.

@bunjywunjy CURSED BIOLOGY!

@hellenhighwater a rare ADHD goblin who has no (evident) executive disfunction. Names all her pets after crimes.

@hedgehog-moss the adventures of the great escaping llama Pampe.

@tkingfisher Author of Digger, and so many other magical stories.

Wizard Roleplayers:

@wizard-council-bureaucrat

@evilwizard

@the-unseelie-court-official

Cool comics:

@yamujiburo writes a really cute and sweet Jessie/Delia comic! Featuring Ash's face-blindness.

@skycowboys so many kinds of pegasi !

@lxgentlefolkcomic the league of extraordinary gentlefolk! Cryptid Jonathan, slightly vampire Mina, Irene Norton (nee Adler) and her trophy husband, and Quincy Lives!

@linkeduniverse All the Links! what more could you ask?

@eldritch-anthology the DND adventures of an EXTREMELY NORMAL AND HUMAN teen as he searches for info on what who he is.

@pocketss goblin-core goblins

@fishtrouts Baby Dragons!

@pterribledinosaurdrawings self evident!

@thepigeongazette fun autobiographical comics!

@foxes-in-love So cute!

@figmentforms A Zelda/Ganon comic! Featuring Queen Zelda's adopted daughter Rinku (Link).

@thesuperheroesnetwork texts from superheroes!

Cool people (that have awesome advice that pertains to writing):

@blumineck archery guy!!

@howtofightwrite writing help for fights and so cool!

Writers: (stories not from their lives) (I hope)

@the-modern-typewriter writes really good stories about the dynamics between heroes and villains. Also wrote a lot of prompts before stopping and you can find them in the archive!

@microsff short but cool stories

@elsewhereuniversity so many cool stories and ideas, plus the adventures of the Archivist!

@unpretty Accountant by day, Certified Dick Wizard by night. Writing a really fun BOTW ~adjacent~ web novel, and has written many, many unhinged Batman fanfics. Highly recommend looking them up.

@caffeinewitchcraft Amazing short stories based on prompts!

@elidyce Also amazing short stories!

@marlynnofmany many Humans Are Space Orcs stories! and starting a novel on teachers at a magical school!

@yourheartonfire superhero stories!

@gingerly-writing more superhero stories!

@dduane THE Diane Duane.

[invisiblebadword]

My Top 10 Video Games

I've decided to put together a list of what are my favourite video games of all time. Its completely subjective, so you WILL disagree, but I just want this to be somewhere on the internet.

First up though I'm gonna post two things:

The Games that were disqualified

The Games that came to mind, but didn't make it into the consideration for the top 10

The Disqualified Section:

The reasons I didn't put these up for consideration is simply that I have played them too recently for me to be sure about them, or that I haven't played them enough yet.

Core Keeper

Deltarune

Lethal Company

Just Shapes & Beats

Metal Hellsinger

Slime Rancher 2

Wuppo

The ones that didn't make the cut:

Games in this section either have something slimy about them, like some glaring issues (like We Happy Few), scummy monetization (Like GTA V), or I was simply already sure that they wouldn't perform well when I was getting to eliminating games for the top 10 (Like Cookie Clicker)

Barotrauma

Brotato

Cookie Clicker

Dead By Daylight

Devour

Doom

The Escapists

Grand Theft Auto V

Helltaker

Hitman 3

I’m on Observation Duty

Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes

Move Or Die

Phasmophobia

Payday 2

Sea of Thieves

Subnautica: Below Zero

Supraland: Six Inches Under

Turmoil

We Happy Few

We Were Here

These aren't all the other games I've played. Just the ones I do still like very much, that do still deserve to be named somewhere.

That being out of the way, here's my Top 10 games:

Number 10:

Undertale

I don't think I have to say a lot about Undertale. Everyone and their religious leaders has at least heard of it, played it, or has been told the story in some other way. A good rule of thumb was, that if a game made me cry I would have to put it up for consideration. This game made me cry. Back when I was in boarding school my shitty laptop couldn't run most games, so I ended up playing through Undertale at least 20 times (I really wanted to see Gaster). It is also one of the few games, whos soundtrack still makes it into a lot of my playlists.

Number 9:

Plants vs. Zombies

I don't know if the game is just that good, or if the nostalgia carries it, but PvZ will always have a place in my heart. It was my "mom, can I have your phone while we wait" game. And when coming back to it years later it still holds up for me. I can't say I'm a huge fan of the rest of the franchise, even though pvz2 has been a good amount of fun. But at that point the monetization was already so horrendous that I didn't sacrifice a thought to it. PvZ however is a delight to come back to. I think the pacing is great, the characters are all funny, and the minigames are a lot of fun (except pogo party. I hate pogo party). Don't even get me started on the soundtrack either. I adore Graze The Roof with my entire being.

Number 8:

Cult Of The Lamb

I tried this game out not that long ago, and what followed was me falling behind on all of my assignments. I am a huge fan of roguelikes, and cotls spin on it made it an instant source of addiction to me. The OST is amazing and prime dnd background music material, and I love the asthetic of eldritch entities combined with cute widdle animals. I've had so much fun with the game, and it somehow managed to never feel stale, something that happened with pretty much all other games on the list at one point or another throughout my playthroughs. If you're a fan of roguelikes I can highly recommend.

Number 7:

Portal

This should be another one of those games that just speaks for itself. Portal is one of the greatest games ever made and that is not an opinion, but an objective fact. While not being as great as its successor, it already innovated so much, and immediately gave GLaDOS so much character, so efficiently. The way it conveys the story of Aperture is amazing, and the gameplay enhances the experience by magnitudes.

Number 6:

Subnautica

I love Subnautica. I don't know how a game manages to look this stunning. My partner loves bioluminescence, and big mushrooms. If that is your cup of tea, then this game is for you. The way it builds horror is magnificent too. Not many games find their horror so naturally. You genuinly feel scared of whatever could be in the depths. I think Below Zero kinda forgot what made the first game so great by relying on small, narrow corridors too much, instead of giving the player the anxiety of being vulnerable from all angles, but subnautica combines the awe inspiring flora and fauna with a constant feeling of lurking danger. It even manages to build a memorable cast of characters without you ever seeing another face. I'm gonna stop myself from rambling further.

Number 5:

Inscryption

I never thought a card game would sweep me off my feet this hard. I love myself a good strategy game, and the way Inscryption rewards you for learning the mechanics of the game feels incredible. It's super creative mechanics like being able to stand up, or making your own death cards aid the game so much too. Not only in gameplay experience, but also in building the many supporting characters, as well as the world in general. Every time something new is introduced it breaks the roof the game has built so far, and it is a delight every time, like all the arg aspects, or the gameplay changing completely, or characters returning, revealing that there is more and more to people you didn't even think had anything behind them. I am being very vague, but that's just because I don't wanna spoiler anything.

Inscryption would've easily made number 3, but there are passages that felt a bit tideous, especially in the middle, but for how short these are, and how exciting the story conveyed within them still is, it still makes the game worth every penny. Towards the end it also absolutely made me cry, so that's something.

Number 4:

Portal 2

I think this is a good point to say: Any game from this point onwards is a serious contender for first place. They're all just this good, and I could never say I like Portal 2 less then third place, for example.

I think Portal 2 shattered my expectations for what games can be. The humor is still one of it's greatest strength, and I almost feel bad not gushing about how amazing the mechanics of both Portal 1 and 2 still are to this day, but somehow the rest of the game manages to overshadow what would otherwise be the greatest aspect of it. All the characters are amazing. You either love them, or love to hate them. From Cave Johnson to the little ball that would later go on to inspire Elon Musk, every character is memorable. God damnit, I will never look at a potato the same, because I played this game.

Not only is it amazing on its own, it is also amazing as a sequal, expanding the world in ways any story teller would dream of. Every little detail feels like there's so much love put into it, and the way all of the story beats are conveyed via some of the most engaging gameplay is amazing.

And I have to stress again, the humor is S++ tier. I will never not find The Part Where He Kills You funny.

Number 3:

Papers Please

I almost feel bad, putting this game so high on the list, because of how simple it is. But god, it delivers. It builds such an engaging story on top of such a simple gameplay loop. And i think the monotony of said gameplay loop is exactly what end up making the story feel so special. By all means, this game should be boring, but the job of working as border control has the fact going for it, that you will meet so many different people, all at varying levels of desperation. Every time you meet a character it feels like an actual person, and every time they plead for you to let them through it feels heartbreaking when you have to send them back. I really can't say that much about Papers Please, especially because I don't wanna spoil anything. It is one of those games you just have to experience. And I highly recommend it. Glory to Arstotzka.

Number 2:

Terraria

There are few games holding as special of a place in my heart as Terraria. Unlike most of the games on this list Terraria doesn't have an amazing story with highly fleshed out characters. At least you don't get that through mere gameplay alone. I know that there is more to it, don't worry, but I can't get into all of that.

Terraria is the first steam game I've ever owned. In a way, it might even be the first game I've ever actually owned, aside from minecraft maybe. Even before I had a computer I played the mobile version, with Ocram and everything. I must've been in 5th grade back then. I ended up getting the game as the Premium edition in a store. I didn't have the money at the time, so a friend lent me his store gift cards. I must still have the collectors cards and poster that came with the game somewhere. There are many anecdoted I have about this game. So there's undeniably a lot of nostalgia fuelling it's place on the list. But god damnit, Terraria deserves it. With the game still being actively updated today it is clear that I am not the only one that loves it this much. Terraria is just one of these games I will always come back to. It will always be special, and I hope that generations in the future, when I'm long gone there will still be people enjoying this piece of history. But torch luck should've never been in the game lol

Quick Intermission

Im gonna take some time now to talk about the contenders that didn't make it in the top 10. I won't say as much about every game though. There are kinda ordered by how much I like them, but rather than a ranking its more like its ordered into vague groups.

Antichamber

I loved playing it. Just a great overall gameplay experience. Very trippy!

The Binding of Isaac

As I said, I love roguelikes. I never got any of the dlc, because money, so it's kinda sad to know so much of the game is paywalled, but seeing just how much they add I don't see it as a huge problem. Really fun game, really great story, will play again (And I will buy the dlc, just not now).

Factorio

Can recommend if you haven't played it already. It's just a very fun base building game. When things work it feels soo rewarding. I just love how the main problem is how to fit things into spaces. That's what makes minecraft redstone so appealing to me.

Spore

Love it. Funny little creatures. Spore is just an overall silly game with a fun gameplay loop.

Superliminal

Again, very trippy. This time it also has a nice story. I adore the setting, and the gameplay mechanics are on the same level as Portal's to me. (I'm sure Stanley Parable would also be in here, but I have yet to play it)

Mortuary Assistant

If you like horror games, this one I can recommend. The scares are awesome, and it somehow has replayability. The animations could be better, but thats whatever. Nothing I would hold against it.

Raft

Raft is absolutely top 10 material. The gameplay is super fun, and the story telling is decent, though it could be better. Especially if you have some friends to play with, you should give this one a try. Too bad they added other people to the game. That kinda ruined the whole vibe for me. I still wanna see the rest of the update though, but my friends got bored of the game. :(

Supraland

Got this one free on Epic Games, and I gotta say, I would pay money for it. Super fun game, super fun characters, and super fun gameplay. As a completionist this game is just like a giant bowl of food, though I am having trouble finding the final treasures, and no matter how hard I try, I can't figure out how to get them. I can't figure out how to look them up either, so I guess ill lever have the 100% :( (Also, the credit song is really fun).

Minecraft

I mean, it had to be in here somewhere. I'm sure if anybody is actually reading this, they might even suspect that it would be Number 1. But no. I love Minecraft, don't get me wrong. There is a reason for why it's so popular. I even have some anecdotes similar to Terraria, like how after buying it, it was just laying on my PC untouched for a year, because 6th grade me didn't know how to install java. But I feel like minecraft very much relies on modding and servers and whatnot. I could always replay vanilla terraria, but I'm kinda done with vanilla minecraft. Feel free to disagree, by any means. At the end of the day, its just 3D Terraria to me /j.

Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion

Silly little turnip guy committing silly little crimes. The game is just a lot of humor and its cute af. Just a very good time :)

Fran Bow

I love the Alice in Wonderland horror this game has. The mechanics aid so hard in telling this awesome story with all of its whacky characters. Just something I can recommend.

Slime Rancher

You get to live on a farm, on another planet, and get to goof around with little slimes all day every day. This game is living the dream. I wanna live in the Far Far Range! The supporting characters are also amazing. Love them all.

Stardew Valley

This and the game after are absolutely contenders for the top 10. In my eyes Stardew Valley made it on that list. We should switch to duodecimal so that a top 12 list is more intuitive, because Stardew Valley Deserves to be on it. If you haven't played it, you should! I'm gonna stop myself from trying to explain what makes it so great, because I could never do it justice though.

Celeste

Once again, Celeste is on the list. It should be. I cried. I cried a lot. Celeste is such a great game. The story makes me cry, the characters make me cry, the music makes be cry. I am too trans, not to cry. Play Celeste, if you haven't already. It's also hard as shit though.

Ok, it's time.

My number one game of all time is:

Number 1:

Hypnospace Outlaw

There is a very very good chance you've never heard of this game. Maybe you have though, its hard for me to really tell just how popular it is, or not. It's popular enough for me to have bought a plushy of it. I don't usually buy merch, so thats a big deal. There is a reason I put this game on number 1. Whatever I tell you about the game will not do it justice though. The game is just so human. The characters are all just so great and fleshed out, and believable.

I wish I could play this game blind again, so that I may experience it all over again. But there is no way that anything will be as great as playing it blind. You are tasked with moderating this late 90s alternate version of the internet called hypnospace, and find out aboiut all of the people using it, and maneuvering it like an actual PC, kinda like Welcome to the game, or whatnot. Again, I could never do it justice. You just have to try it out on your own.

The soundtrack is also one of the greatest pieces of art I've found in a game. There are so many songs by so many artists. The humor too. The humor is top notch. Not only in regards to the characters, but the technology as a whole. The references to the real world are awesome, like conspiracies, and viruses like bonzai buddy, edgelords on the internet, and web comics. It all feels so real and alive. Thus, experiencing the story doesn't feel like reading a book, but like actually being part of it all. The fact that your choices actually have an effect on the ending of the game enhances this even further.

Im repeating myself, but I cant stress enough how much I would love to be able to experience this game all over again.

Alright, that's it then. I doubt anyone will read through this. If anything youll probably scroll through and see if your favourite game is on the list. That's fine. I'd do the same, honestly. I just wanted to put this somewhere, to express my love for these games somewhere. I'm happy if you've made it this far. This isn't much more than me rambling on for hours, but I'm glad I put it somewhere. If you have any other games you think are great, feel free to tell me about them. Cya!

[madbadash]

🎵🎵🎵 Album tag game 🎵🎵🎵

rules: share the albums that you can listen to nonstop. those lightning in a bottle-albums that scratch ur brain just right. every single track, an absolute banger. u could not skip one if u tried. no notes. stunning, show-stopping, immaculate. ur no-skip albums.

🔎 bonus & optional (but imo, v fun) rules: 1) add a track rec for us to listen to! AND 2) share ur favorite line(s) from that track! 👀

Now lowkey I'm cheating here because I don't really listen to albums in full and I would probably would skip at max like one song on each of these albums but I wanna participate in the game so I make the rules.

ANYWAYS thank you @bluecoolr for the tag

I will Tag @probably-a-plant-thing @bobeatspie300 @thelemoncoffee @boxtyphoon @toborusk and a cover all if you wanna do it do it!! Also these are all very low no pressure tags.

Billie Ellish- When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We All Do?

Penelope Scott-Public Void

Mother Mother-Inside

Chonny Jash-The Will Wood Power Hour

Eliza Anastasic-The Grand Relics

Billie was my number one artist on Spotify for like 2 or 3 years in a row and she hasn't left my top 5 since I started listening to her. I fucking LOVE ilomilo

Lyrics: So, where did you go? I should know, but it's cold And I don't wanna be lonely So tell me you'll come home Even if it's just a lie

The fact I get all my music from Tiktok is showing ANYWAYS Penelope Scott has some bangin ass music. I actually associate this song with Steven, and if Bob is down and people are interested I can totally go into why.

Lyrics:You fuckers know it's all built on lies But the beast refuses to die And so I guess well neither can I

Mother Mother is the most basic gay people music but DO I CARE??? NOOOOO!!!!! I can and will add both Haylofts into Oc Playlists! Anyways this bitch got a funky rhythm and I like the way they sing. Also this is probably the album with the most skips but I make the rules I don't care I'mma put it anyways

Lyrics: I'm thinking, "Oh, my God, what a chatty creature" It just kept talking and talking and talking all around in a circle I said, "Hey, little guy, I think it's time to go now"

CHONNY I AM GONNA KISS YOU SO HARD OH MY GOD. YOU, ONE OF MY FAVORITE ARTISTS, COVERING WILL WOOD??? MY OTHER TOP ARTIST. I AM CRAZY AND DERANGED

Now I do think you should listen to both versions of Thermodynamic Lawyer but I really like the lyric changes Chonny does so do whatever you want.

Lyrics:He'll rationalize rhymes 'til the T's and the I's Are re-crossed and re-dotted to a blur Blacks out his eyes, hides the lines, flays his thighs 'Til the-, they think that "he" is their "her"

Ok ok now hear me out. Hear me out here I know it's fucking weird but listen to me. Hear me the fuck out.

This is a fan-Album based on the Podcast The Adventure Zone Balance. Everyone should listen to Balance. It's a funny DND podcast. It is earnest, and stupid and funny and it has made me cry and if you don't have 69 hours to throw to this podcast (with the first 6 episodes being a bit rough as it's their first time playing) I HIGHLY recommend listening to their Current Arc: Vs Dracula. They all know what they're doing and they're doing it hilariously

Rant over. These songs are based on 7 magical objects that are collected by our main characters. These songs also include some clips from the podcast. I'm gonna rec the first one because its the least spoiler-y.

Lyrics: I'm a weapon of mass destruction That can literally fit on your hand So what are you waiting for? I'm thralling as hard as I can Go ahead and put me on- Gloves do not have long attention spans!